1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing method, for example, an image forming apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing method for providing log data to plural servers connected to the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years and continuing, plural image forming apparatuses (e.g., printers) are connected to each other via a network (system) inside an office or the like. The plural image forming apparatus are typically used separately depending on the intended use. Typically, in a system having plural image forming apparatuses connected to each other, a server is used for managing the plural image forming apparatuses. Thereby, the jobs (print jobs) executed by the image forming apparatuses can be managed.
The server manages the print jobs by using, for example, a device management program. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-191883 discloses a printing system having a server that manages print jobs.
As another example, there is a system having a server that obtains and manages log information of an image forming apparatus. In a case of managing log information of an image forming apparatus with a server, there is a method of obtaining log information by storing the log information the image forming apparatus and periodically accessing the log information stored in the image forming apparatus. As another method, a server accesses an image forming apparatus at predetermined intervals and determines whether log information is stored in the image forming apparatus.
In a case of periodically accessing log information of an image forming apparatus where the log information is managed by a server according to a related art example, the image forming apparatus is to have the log information stored therein until the log information is obtained by the server. Therefore, the image forming apparatus is to have a large storage space for storing the log information. Further, in the case where the server determines whether log information is stored in the image forming apparatus, the workload of the server becomes large.